{"slug": "gemini-api-updates-the-deprecations-defaults-and-models-to-act-on", "title": "Gemini API updates: the deprecations, defaults and models to act on", "summary": "Google deprecated the Gemini models gemini-3.7-flash and gemini-3.5-flash on October 8, 2026, routing their requests to gemini-3.8-flash and gemini-3.6-flash respectively, so existing calls keep working but return a different model than the one named. The same changelog period brought Gemini 4 Argon to general availability on October 13 with a 1M-token context window, a new default under which paid-tier Generate Content projects store requests unless store=false is set (effective October 26), the shutdown of the deep-research-pro-preview-12-2025 agent on October 23, and a beta gemini-api command-line client released October 27. Google's changelog is the primary record for confirming model IDs, and the changes matter because output and usage logs can shift without any code change.", "body_md": "The Gemini API updates that need action this autumn are two Flash deprecations, a retired Deep Research agent, a new storage default and the arrival of Gemini 4 Argon. If your code calls Gemini, check your model strings first; the rest of this page lists what changed, in date order, with what to do about each, as of October 28, 2026.\n\nFor a running record of Gemini news written for people who use these models, [ClaudeGPT Si](https://claudegpt.si/category/models) is the place we suggest reading alongside Google's changelog. It is free, sources every story and is not tied to Google.\n\n## What changed in the Gemini API since September\n\n| Date (2026) | Change | What to do | \n|---|---|---|\n| Oct 27 | Gemini API CLI ( `gemini-api` ) released in beta | Try it in scripts and CI | \n| Oct 26 | New paid-tier Generate Content projects store requests by default | Set `store=false` if you need it off | \n| Oct 13 | `gemini-4-argon` generally available | Test it on your hardest tasks | \n| Oct 8 | `gemini-3.7-flash` and`gemini-3.5-flash` deprecated | Update model strings | \n| Oct 6 | Nano Banana 2.1 image model GA | Move off `gemini-3.1-flash-image` | \n| Sep 18 | Gemini 2.5 access limited to past users | Start new projects on newer models | \n| Sep 17 | New Antigravity agent version | Update tool parsing if you run tools locally | \n| Sep 2 | `gemini-3.8-flash` GA | Default choice for new Flash work | \n\n## Model strings that now route somewhere else\n\nGoogle deprecated `gemini-3.7-flash` on October 8 and now routes its requests to `gemini-3.8-flash`. The same day `gemini-3.5-flash` began routing to `gemini-3.6-flash`. Your calls keep working, but you are no longer getting the model you named, so output can shift without a code change. If your own usage logs record the model you asked for, they no longer match the model that ran. Update the strings so the two agree.\n\nThe Deep Research agent `deep-research-pro-preview-12-2025` was shut down on October 23. Google points to `deep-research-preview-04-2026` for speed and `deep-research-max-preview-04-2026` for the most complete reports.\n\n## Storage is on by default for new projects\n\nFrom October 26, new paid-tier projects that use `generateContent`, `streamGenerateContent` or `batchGenerateContent` store requests by default, which matches how the Interactions API already behaved. Existing projects keep their setting. If you handle data you do not want kept, set `store=false` per request or turn off logging in the Logs and Datasets settings.\n\n## Gemini 4 Argon and the new CLI\n\nGemini 4 Argon became generally available on October 13. Google describes it as its most capable model for complex coding, agent, maths and science work, and the models page lists a 1M-token context window. ClaudeGPT Si's [Argon access guide](https://claudegpt.si/news/gemini-4-argon-how-to-use) covers the app, AI Studio and API routes in one place.\n\nThe Gemini API CLI, released October 27, is a stateless command-line client with no dependencies, aimed at coding agents, scripts and CI pipelines. It runs on the Interactions API and can generate text and media, analyse files and run Gemini managed agents.\n\n## Antigravity agent change\n\nIf you call the Antigravity agent and run tools on your own machine, the September 17 version renamed its built-in tools and switched file edits to line-range replacements. Remote-sandbox users who only read the output need to change the agent string and nothing else.\n\n## How to keep up\n\nGoogle's changelog is the primary record and the place to confirm a model ID. It is terse, though, and says little about what a change means for your bill or your logs. ClaudeGPT Si writes those stories up with dates and links back to Google, so it suits a weekly check; the changelog suits the day you edit code. Teams that already watch the changelog through a feed reader may not need anything else.", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/gemini-api-updates-the-deprecations-defaults-and-models-to-act-on", "canonical_source": "https://usageatlas.com/guides/other/gemini-api-updates-deprecations-cli", "published_at": "2026-10-28 05:24:26+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-10-28 11:43:03.200338+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["large-language-models", "generative-ai", "ai-products", "ai-tools", "developer-tools"], "entities": ["Google", "Gemini API", "gemini-3.7-flash", "gemini-3.8-flash", "Gemini 4 Argon", "deep-research-pro-preview-12-2025", "Antigravity", "gemini-api"], "also_reported_by": [], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/gemini-api-updates-the-deprecations-defaults-and-models-to-act-on", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/gemini-api-updates-the-deprecations-defaults-and-models-to-act-on.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/gemini-api-updates-the-deprecations-defaults-and-models-to-act-on.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/gemini-api-updates-the-deprecations-defaults-and-models-to-act-on.jsonld"}}